The present invention relates to a terminal assembly consisting of a row of terminals supported at a predetermined pitch, in the widthwise direction, along one lengthwise side of a belt-like terminal carrier. A terminal assembly of this type, used, for example, to manufacture a multi-contact electrical connector, is generally formed by punching out, at a predetermined pitch and in the widthwise direction, non-required portions of a belt-like conductive substrate, leaving a lengthwise region on one side of the substrate substantially intact while forming, as a result of the punching process, contact terminals integral with and extending widthwise from the intact region.
In assembling a multi-contact electrical connector, the contact terminals of the terminal assembly are simultaneously set in the housing of a connector while they are supported by a terminal carrier. Once set, the terminals are then separated from the terminal carrier. This particular method of assembly has proven more efficient than that wherein the terminals are separated from and then set in the housing of the connector independently of their supporting terminal carrier and is therefore widely accepted. This conventional assembly process, however, necessitates that, even if the terminals are of the same shape, when it is necessary to fabricate two types of connectors with terminal pitches of 2.0 mm and 2.54 mm, separate terminal assemblies must be prepared to accommodate the different pitches. This problem is common in terminal assemblies for IC pins (IC LEG), IC socket terminals, and other terminals such as those sold under the trademark Griplet by the assignee of the present invention.